The invention relates to a bumper for motor vehicles, said bumper consisting of a rigid support and a covering made of elastic material, said covering being fastened over a fastening section and attached to the body by means of a boltable fastening element.
In a known bumper of the species described hereinabove (publication in "Automobiltechnische Zeitschrift", Volume 76, No. 11, Page 375, 1974), the covering is accomplished with flange-like sections on bent portions of the body. This design has the disadvantage that upon sufficient impact upon the bumper, forces are transmitted into the body via the covering sections sufficient to produce permanent deformation.
The goal of the invention is to attach the bumper covering to the body in such a manner that it provides a reliable fastening while accepting the forces to be absorbed without deformation of the body.
According to preferred embodiments of the invention, this goal is achieved by virtue of the fact that the covering is provided with at least two arms in the area adjacent the vehicle body, the first arm being located within the outside contour of the covering and body, and forming a fastening section, and the second arm being connected to the covering so as to form, with the covering, a continuation of the outer body contour that covers the first arm. It is advantageous in this connection for the arms to be disposed in a fork-like manner on the covering. When force is applied to the covering, the first arm and/or a member connected between it and the body flexes like a hinge.
In addition, in certain embodiments, the first arm is connected to a U-shaped member, that in use is open toward an end of the vehicle, a cross-bar of said U-shaped member being made elastic and forming the hinge. The hinge effect is reinforced by recesses in the cross-bar. The fastening section of the first arm can also be bent at right angles, whereby the area of the arm which abuts this section forms the hinge. In such an embodiment, a bolt element of the fastening section is accessible from the outside of the body. The second arm is in the form of lips. Finally, the second arm is mounted on the body to form a joint.
The special advantages achieved by virtue of the invention include the fact that when force is applied to the bumper, the covering at the first arm bends, so that the body is not deformed at this point. The design of the first arm, especially its fastening and its hinge, is effectively protected by the second arm. Moreover, the installation of the covering is simple if the bolt element is accessible from the outside of the body.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein